Sheer hosiery

ABSTRACT

Sheer hosiery is provided that maintains the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery while eliminating the foot discomfort that is typically encountered when wearing conventional sheer hosiery. Embodiments of the sheer hosiery include a sheer leg portion and a foot portion that is affixed to the sheer leg portion and at least partially made of a comfort fabric. The foot portion contacts one or more portions of a wearer&#39;s foot, such as, for example, a ball portion and a toe portion, and is hidden from view when the wearer&#39;s foot is inserted in footwear. The foot portion may be somewhat thicker than the sheer leg portion but is not so thick as to interfere with the fit of the footwear.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/596,558, filed Nov. 14, 2006, which claims priority to U.S. nationalphase of the International Patent Application No. PCT/US2005/017350filed May 18, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/572,795, filed May 20, 2004, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hosiery and, more particularly, to sheerhosiery that maintain the leg appearance of conventional sheer stockingswhile eliminating the foot discomfort that is typically encountered whenwearing conventional sheer stockings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional sheer hosiery made of nylon, spandex or the like, whetherin the form of pantyhose or separate stockings, presents serious comfortissues to their wearers. For example, women who for professional orfashion reasons wear high-heeled footwear (e.g., boots, pump-type shoes,etc.) for extended periods of time often suffer serious foot pain suchas in the toes, balls and arch of their feet. This foot pain is at leastpartially caused by the construction of the footwear that includes aninsole that forms a flat surface extending throughout ball and lower toeportions thereof and an upwardly inclined surface extending throughoutan arch portion toward a heel portion. Since the heel portion of theshoe is generally raised relative to the ball and toe portion of theshoe, a wearer's weight is unnaturally shifted toward the ball and toeportions of the wearer's foot.

Sheer hosiery (e.g., nylon stockings and pantyhose) that is typicallyworn in conjunction with such footwear typically worsens foot pain sincesuch hosiery does not provide absorption or ventilation in the footarea. As can be appreciated from FIG. 1, when a person wears high-heeledshoes and sheer hosiery, the person's sole begins to perspire and theperspiration becomes trapped between the person's skin and the hosierydue to the hosiery material's hydrophobicity. The trapped perspirationcauses the person's foot to slide generally forward and downward in thehosiery due to the trapped moisture, the lubricity of the sheer hosieryand the footwear's inclined insole and, therefore, the person's toesbecome curled against the (typically) reinforced toe portion of thehosiery as indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow C. After the person's toes curl,their only recourse for relieving the curling is to remove their shoesand pull the toe portion of the hosiery away from their toes whileattempting to avoid tearing or causing runs in the sheer hosiery fabric.However, this solution is only temporary since the person's sole willcontinue to perspire and the perspiration will remain trapped, therebycausing the same uncomfortable foot sliding and toe curling result. Overtime, this may cause the wearer of such footwear and unforgiving hosieryto experience foot problems such as blisters, calluses, hammertoes andthe like.

While it is known in the art to dispose an insert (e.g., a cotton pad)within the foot portion of the hosiery (i.e., the insert is interposedbetween the sheer fabric and the wearer's foot) to absorb footperspiration, this does not solve the foregoing problems. Such insertsbecome saturated and trap moisture against the wearer's foot since thesheer hosiery material is hydrophobic and has poor ventilationqualities. The same foot sliding and toe curling thereby results oftenwith the added discomfort due to bunching of the insert in the toe area.It is also known in the art to attach a pad (e.g., by sewing, gluing orthe like) to the exterior of the foot portion of the hosiery so that thepad is positioned proximate to the sole of the wearer's foot. However,this method is also ineffective in solving the sliding and toe curlingsince the sheer hosiery, being generally hydrophobic, does not allow thefoot perspiration to substantially escape for absorption by the exteriorpad.

Therefore, sheer hosiery that serves the desired purpose of making thewearer's legs look attractive but are comfortable and free of theforegoing drawbacks in the foot area would be welcomed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unique sheer hosiery is provided that maintains the appearance ofconventional sheer hosiery while eliminating the foot discomfort that istypically encountered when wearing conventional sheer hosiery.Embodiments of the sheer hosiery include a sheer leg portion and a lowerportion that is affixed to the sheer leg portion and is configured tocover a foot, wherein the lower portion is at least partially made of acomfort fabric. The comfort fabric contacts one or more portions of awearer's foot, such as, for example, a ball portion and a toe portion,and is hidden from view when the wearer's foot is inserted in footwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example foot condition resulting from wearing aconventional sheer hosiery article and high-heeled footwear;

FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of a sheer stocking, whichincludes a comfort fabric toe portion, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of a sheer stocking, whichincludes a comfort fabric sole portion, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a third embodiment of a sheer stocking, whichincludes a comfort fabric toe and sole portion, in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a sheer stocking, whichincludes a comfort fabric foot portion, in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a fifth embodiment of a sheer stocking, whichincludes a comfort fabric foot and leg portion, in accordance with thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying FIGS. 2-6, butthese embodiments are provided for purpose of example and are notintended to be limiting of the invention.

In each of the embodiments at least a portion of the foot area of thesheer hosiery (e.g., stockings, pantyhose) includes a resilient materialhaving at least one of but not limited to the following properties:ventilating, wicking and absorbing. This material will hereinafter bereferred to as “comfort fabric” and may be selected from any natural orman-made fibers, fabrics and materials having these desired propertiesknown in the art. Preferred comfort fabrics have a substantial cottoncontent up to a 100% cotton content for absorbency, but other suitablecomfort fabrics include wicking fabrics such as polypropylene, Coolmax®and Supplex®. The sheer hosiery material with which the comfort fabriccan be used may be any sheer fabric material known in the art such asnylon, spandex or the like. The hosiery may be any type or style ofhosiery known in the art, for example, stockings, pantyhose, controltop, full-fashioned, sheer to waist, fishnet, knee-highs, non-controltop, support hose, semi-opaque hosiery, thigh high, elongated controltop, and tights. As should be appreciated from FIGS. 2-6 and thefollowing description, one aspect of the invention is to provide awearer of sheer hosiery with improved foot ventilation and moisture(e.g., perspiration) absorption while not interfering with the fit ofthe footwear and retaining the esthetically pleasing appearance ofconventional sheer hose. To this end, the comfort fabric of the variousembodiments is permanently attached to the sheer fabric and is worn inthe foot area of the hosiery with appropriately selected footwear sothat the comfort fabric is hidden from view when the wearer's foot isinserted in the footwear.

As can be appreciated from FIGS. 2-6 the comfort fabric is positionedgenerally in the foot portion of the sheer hosiery, but may also bepositioned proximate to portions of the wearer's leg. The comfort fabricis configured (e.g., shaped, sized, positioned, etc.) to correspond withone or more discrete parts of a wearer's foot, such as the toes, theinstep, the ball, the arch and the heel, but the comfort fabric is sizedsomewhat smaller than an outline of the one or more discrete part of thewearer's foot to which it corresponds. Indeed, one can appreciate thatthe sheer hosiery has an at least partially “inversely-oriented”construction relative to the footwear, particularly with respect to thepositioning of the comfort fabric on the wearer's foot relative to anyapertures in the footwear (e.g., in the upper of the footwear). That is,the comfort fabric is configured so that it is positioned on a wearer'sfoot to avoid one or more apertures in the wearer's footwear throughwhich a part of the wearer's foot is visible, for example, the footopening, an open toe, an open heel, a fashion aperture (i.e., an openingin the footwear that displays a portion of the wearer's foot) and thelike so that the comfort fabric is not visible. In this way, thewearer's footwear and sheer hosiery cooperate to provide an apparelsystem that keeps the comfort fabric hidden from view. Footwear andsheer hosiery embodiments in accordance with the invention may be pairedappropriately by an individual to hide the comfort fabric from view.That is, an individual must either: a) select appropriate footwearaccording to the position of the comfort fabric in the sheer hosierythat is to be worn, or b) select appropriate sheer hosiery havingsuitably positioned comfort fabric according to the footwear that is tobe worn. In one aspect, a sheer hosiery embodiment may be one or more ofdisplayed, packaged, bundled and sold with appropriate footwear in aretail establishment.

Conventional sheer hosiery (e.g., hosiery made of nylon, spandex or thelike), whether in the form of pantyhose or separate stockings, maypresent serious comfort issues to a wearer of such hosiery, particularlywhen worn with high-heeled footwear (e.g., pump-type shoes) for anextended period of time. The discomfort is attributable to a number offactors. As can be appreciated from FIG. 1, fashion footwear FW causesunnatural and persistent pressure on the ball B and toe T portions ofthe wearer's foot F due to the inclined insole construction of thefootwear FW. Such a persistent pressure cannot be alleviated by placingcushioning inserts in the footwear or hosiery. Moreover, sinceconventional sheer hosiery N (FIG. 1) is made of a finely wovenhydrophobic material, it does not provide proper ventilation and/ormoisture absorption. Thus, such hosiery N causes an undesirablemoisture-trapping condition that causes chafing and blisters, generallyworsening the foregoing pressure discomfort on the ball B and toe Tportions of the wearer's foot F. Further, when conventional hosiery Nand fashion footwear FW are worn for an extended period of time, thewearer's foot F will continue to sweat, particularly the ball B and archA of the foot F, thereby causing perspiration accumulation on the bottomof the wearer's foot F because the trapped moisture is not properlyventilated, wicked, absorbed or the like. The wearer's foot F will then,due to the lubricity of the sheer hosiery and accumulated perspiration,slide forward as indicated by arrow M against the toe portion of thestocking, which will eventually cause the wearer's toes to curl asindicated by arrow C, thereby creating further discomfort and pain tothe wearer. As will be explained below, various embodiments of thepresent invention provide ventilation and moisture absorption in one ormore portions of the foot to remedy the foregoing problems caused byfoot perspiration without affecting the aesthetic appearance of thesheer hosiery. For example, one embodiment includes toe and soleventilating/moisture-absorbing portions that can be paired withpump-type shoes so that the toe and sole portions are hidden from view,thereby retaining the conventional appearance of sheer hosiery.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a first embodiment of sheer hosiery is described.As shown in FIG. 2, the sheer hosiery 200 is illustrated as a sheerstocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this case, the hosiery 200includes a toe portion 210 that is made of comfort fabric and thehosiery 200 is intended to be worn with closed-toe, pump-type footwear,such as high-heeled dress shoes. The closed toe of the footwear isconfigured to hide the toe portion 210 when the wearer's foot isinserted in the footwear. Of course, sheer hosiery 200 may be worn withopen-toe footwear, but sheer hosiery 300 which will be discussedhereafter is more preferred for wearing with open-toe footwear. Asshown, the toe portion 210 has a “toelet” shape (e.g., bag-like,pouch-like or pocket-like shape) that is attached to the continuous,sheer foot portion 240 and leg portion 260. The toe portion 210 isconstructed to cover the tops, bottoms and tips of all the toes of thewearer. That is, the toe portion 210 substantially encloses the wearer'stoes, extending from a point on top of the wearer's foot F that isforward of an instep portion I of the foot F, wrapping around the frontof the wearer's toes T and terminating at a point proximate a ball B ofthe wearer's foot F and forward of an arch portion A of the wearer'sfoot F. Additionally as shown, the top and bottom parts of the toeportion 210 may be connected at their right and left side edges to coverthe outer surfaces of the wearer's outer toes (e.g., big toe and pinkytoe). Thus, one can appreciate that although the hosiery 200 includes atoe portion 210 that provides comfort to the wearer, the hosiery 200retains the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery since the toeportion 210 is worn by the wearer on their toes T, which, in turn, areinserted in closed-toe footwear FW, so that the toe portion 210 ishidden from view by footwear FW. This embodiment eliminates or at leastgreatly reduces toe curling (FIG. 1, arrow C), enhances the freedom ofthe toes to move generally and limits sliding within the footwear toreduce pain associated with conventional sheer stockings. The comfortfabric wicks moisture produced in the toe area and also absorbs and/orwicks moisture that originates from other areas of the foot (e.g., theball or arch areas of the foot) that makes its way to the toe area.

The sheer fabric (e.g., foot portion 240 and leg portion 260) and thecomfort fabric toe portion 210 may be affixed to each other by anytechnique that produces a reliable attachment between the sheer fabricand the particular comfort fabric that is chosen. For example, thehosiery 200 may have a one-piece construction with the sheer fabric andthe comfort fabric being attached, sewed or integrally knit using anautomated process, for example, utilizing a circular knitting machine orthe like. However, the hydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric shouldnot be interwoven with the toe portion 210. In some examples the sheerfabric and the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. Inother cases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach thefabrics. In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material ortape may be positioned between the two fabrics and heat applied toproduce the desired affixation. It should be understood that the sheerfabric should only minimally overlap the toe portion 210 and that theinterconnection between the two fabrics should be durable and strong butpreferably substantially imperceptible to the wearer. Other methods ofaffixation may be suitable and will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art.

Additionally, one can appreciate that the comfort fabric toe portion 210is generally thicker or having a higher denier relative to the sheerfabric. However, it is essential in this embodiment that the comfortfabric toe portion 210 not be so thick as to interfere with the fit ofthe footwear, for example, causing the footwear to feel undersized orunduly tight in the toe area. It is therefore required in the practiceof this embodiment that the foot and leg portions 240, 260 of thehosiery 200 be in the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of ayarn from about ten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has athickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. Morepreferably, the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearingprototypes of this embodiment having various thicknesses for toe portion210 found that prototypes having a comfort fabric toe portion 210 with athickness greater than about 0.065 inches were too uncomfortable to wearwith properly fitting closed-toe, high-heeled fashion footwear. In oneexample, the hosiery 200 includes a sheer fabric that is made of nylonyarn having a denier of ten and a comfort fabric toe portion 210 that ismade of cotton yarn of a greater denier than the nylon yarn and having athickness of about 0.02 inches.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a second embodiment of sheer hosiery isdescribed. As shown in FIG. 3, the sheer hosiery 300 is illustrated as asheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this embodiment, thesheer hosiery 300 includes a sheer toe portion 310 and a sole portion320 that is made of comfort fabric so that the sheer hosiery 300 can beworn with open-toe footwear, such as open-toe, high-heeled dress shoesor the like. Of course, the sheer hosiery 300 may be worn withclosed-toe footwear, but previously described sheer hosiery 200 andsheer hosiery 400 which will be discussed hereafter are more preferredfor wearing with closed-toe footwear. The sole portion 320 is attachedto the continuous, sheer toe portion 310, sheer foot portion 340 andsheer leg portion 360, which provide the sheer hosiery 300 when wornwith open-toe, high-heeled dress shoes with the appearance of aconventional sheer hosiery article. The sole portion 320 is dimensionedto contact a portion of the wearer's sole (e.g., ball B, arch A or heelH of the foot F) but remain hidden from view when viewing the wearer'sfoot F from the sides and back. For example, if an individual wishes towear footwear with an upper having one or more of an open-toe,open-heel, latticework or straps, the individual puts on the hosiery 300positioning the sole portion 320 along the bottom of the individual'sfoot and then inserts their foot in the footwear so that the insole ofthe footwear hides the sole portion 320. Thus, as previously mentioned,the sheer hosiery 300 and footwear have an inversely-orientedconstruction so that they cooperate to generally preserve the appearanceof conventional sheer hosiery in all of the exposed areas of thewearer's foot, such as portions of the wearer's foot (e.g., the instepI) that are proximate the periphery of the foot opening of the footwearupper in which the foot rests.

As shown, the sole portion 320 is embodied as a generallyrectangular-shaped panel or strip, but may be shaped otherwise. Forexample, the sole portion 320 may have any suitable curvilinear shapeknown in the art, such as a trapezoid, parallelogram, square, circle,s-shape, zigzag and the like and it may be of either a regular or anirregular shape. The illustrated sole portion 320 extends from a forwardpoint on the sole of the wearer's foot F that is proximate either a baseof the wearer's toes T or the ball portion B of the wearer's foot F, toa rearward point on the sole of the wearer's foot F that is proximateeither the wearer's heel H or the wearer's arch A. Thus, the soleportion 320 substantially covers the length of the bottom of thewearer's foot. Additionally, in some versions, the sole portion 320 maysubstantially extend across the entire width of the wearer's sole.Moreover, in some cases, the sole portion 320 may extend partially upthe sides of the wearer's foot F so long as the sole portion 320 ishidden from view from the side when the wearer dons cooperatingfootwear. For example, when an individual intends to wear open-back orstrap-heeled footwear such as shoes, clogs, sandals, mules or the likethat allow the individual's foot a degree of movement away from theinsole, the sole portion 320 of the sheer hosiery 300 may be constructedto extend only from the ball portion B of the individual's foot F to apoint intermediate the individual's arch A so that the sole portion 320cannot be seen from behind when the individual's heel H is raised abovethe insole of the shoe such as when the individual's weight is on thetoes T and ball portion B of the foot F.

This type of sheer hosiery 300 greatly enhances ventilation and moistureabsorption/wicking for the wearer's foot, thereby limiting sliding ofthe wearer's foot within the hosiery 300. To further limit sliding ofthe hosiery 300 when worn on a wearer's foot that is inserted infootwear, the sole portion 320 may include a friction means (not show)such as a grip, tread or the like. For example, the sole portion 320 mayinclude an integral stitching design as known in the art, such asparallel zigzags that extend across the width of the wearer's sole. Inanother example the friction means may be a rubber thread, a rubberizedappliqué or the like that is attached to a top surface, a bottom surfaceor both the top and bottom surfaces of the comfort fabric by anaffixation means known in the art such as fasteners, sewing, adhesive,heat-transfer and the like. Alternatively, the friction means may beinterwoven through a portion or all of the comfort fabric. The comfortfabric sole portion 320 absorbs and/or wicks moisture produced in thearea of the wearer's sole (e.g., ball B, arch A, heel H) and may alsoabsorb and/or wick moisture that originates from other areas of the foot(e.g., the toes T) that makes its way to the sole portion 320.

As with the previously described sheer hosiery 200, the sheer fabric(e.g., portions 310, 340, 360) and the comfort fabric sole portion 320of this sheer hosiery 300 may be affixed to each other by any techniquethat produces a reliable attachment between the sheer fabric and theparticular comfort fabric that is chosen. For example, the hosiery 300may have a one-piece construction with the sheer fabric and the comfortfabric being attached, sewed, or integrally knit using an automatedprocess, for example, utilizing a circular knitting machine or the like.However, the hydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric should not beinterwoven with the sole portion 320. In some examples the sheer fabricand the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. In othercases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach the fabrics.In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material or tape may bepositioned between the two fabrics and heat applied to produce thedesired affixation. It should be understood that the sheer fabric shouldonly minimally overlap the sole portion 320 to ensure a reliableinterconnection therebetween. Further, the interconnection between thetwo fabrics should be durable and strong but preferably substantiallyimperceptible to the wearer. Other methods of affixation may be suitableand will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Further, as with the comfort fabric toe portion 210 of the firstembodiment, one can appreciate that the comfort fabric sole portion 320is generally thicker or having a higher denier relative to the sheerfabric. However, it is essential that the comfort fabric sole portion320 not be so thick as to interfere with the fit of the footwear, forexample, causing the footwear to feel undersized in the instep and/ortoe area. It is therefore required in the practice of this inventionthat the toe, foot and leg portion 310, 340, 360 of the hosiery 300 bein the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of a yarn from aboutten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has a thickness in therange of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. More preferably, thethickness of the comfort fabric is in the range of about 0.02 inches toabout 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearing prototypes of thisembodiment having various thicknesses for sole portion 320 found thatprototypes having a comfort fabric sole portion 320 with a thicknessgreater than 0.065 inches were too uncomfortable to wear with properlyfitting high-heeled fashion footwear. In one example, the hosiery 300includes a sheer fabric that is made of nylon yarn having a denier often and a comfort fabric sole portion 320 that is made of cotton yarn ofa greater denier than the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about0.03 inches.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a third embodiment of sheer hosiery isdescribed. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheer hosiery 400 is illustrated as asheer stocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. In this case, one shouldappreciate that the sheer hosiery 400 generally combines the comfortfabric features of toe portion 210 of the sheer hosiery 200 (FIG. 2) andcomfort fabric sole portion 320 of the sheer hosiery 300 (FIG. 3), andis to be worn with closed-toe pump-type fashion footwear, such ashigh-heeled, closed-toe dress shoes or the like. Although the sheerhosiery 400 can be worn with open-toe footwear, as can be appreciated,the sheer hosiery 400 cooperates with closed-toe footwear to ensure thatthe sheer hosiery 400 has the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery.As shown, the sheer hosiery 400 includes a toe portion 410 that is madeof comfort fabric and a sole portion 420 that is made of comfort fabric.The comfort fabric toe portion 410 is dimensioned to cover the tops andbottoms of all the toes of the wearer. That is, the toe portion 410substantially encloses the wearer's toes, extending from a point on topof the wearer's foot F that is forward of an instep portion I of thefoot F, wrapping around the front (tips) of the wearer's toes T andterminating at a point proximate a ball B of the wearer's foot F andforward of an arch portion A of the wearer's foot F. Additionally asshown, the top and bottom parts of the toe portion 410 may be connectedat their right and left side edges to cover the outer surfaces of thewearer's outer toes (e.g., big toe and pinky toe). The sole portion 420is dimensioned to contact a portion of the wearer's sole (e.g., ball B,arch A or heel H of the foot F) but remain hidden from view when viewingthe wearer's foot F from the sides and back. Thus, as previouslymentioned, the sheer hosiery 400 has an inversely-oriented constructionrelative to footwear so that the comfort portions 410, 420 avoidapertures in the footwear, thereby hiding the comfort portions 410, 420from view. One can appreciate that toe and sole portions 410, 420 areattached to the continuous, sheer foot portion 440 and leg portion 460,which provide the sheer hosiery 400 with the appearance of aconventional sheer hosiery article. This sheer hosiery 400 generallypreserves the appearance of conventional sheer hosiery in all of theexposed areas of the wearer's foot, including portions of the wearer'sfoot proximate the periphery of the opening of the footwear in which thefoot rests.

The toe and sole portions 410, 420 may be separated, attached togetheror may have a one-piece construction. Further, the toe portion 410 andthe sole portion 420 may be of the same comfort fabric or differentcomfort fabrics. For example, the toe portion 410 may be thinner forproviding a better fit when wearing narrow-toed footwear while the soleportion 420 is more porous and/or thicker for providing moreabsorbency/wicking to the pores of the sole S of the wearer's foot F.Indeed, many different combinations of comfort fabrics for toe portion410 and sole portion 420 are possible.

As with the previously described sheer hosiery embodiments 200 and 300,the sheer fabric (e.g., portions 440, 460) and the comfort fabric toeportion 410 and comfort fabric sole portion 420 of this sheer hosiery400 may be affixed to each other by any technique that produces areliable attachment between the sheer fabric and the particular comfortfabric that is chosen. For example, the hosiery 400 may have a one-piececonstruction with the sheer fabric and the comfort fabric beingattached, sewed, or integrally knit using an automated process, forexample, utilizing a circular knitting machine or the like. However, thehydrophobic threads of the sheer fabric should not be interwoven withthe toe and sole portions 410, 420. In some examples the sheer fabricand the comfort fabric may be fastened together by sewing. In othercases, a liquid or other adhesive could be used to attach the fabrics.In still further cases, a heat-sensitive bonding material or tape may bepositioned between the two fabrics and heat applied to produce thedesired affixation. It should be understood that the sheer fabric shouldonly minimally overlap the toe and sole portions 410, 420 to ensure areliable interconnection therebetween. Further, the interconnectionbetween the two fabrics should be durable and strong but preferablysubstantially imperceptible to the wearer. Other methods of affixationmay be suitable and will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart.

Since the comfort fabric of this embodiment provides substantialcoverage of the wearer's toes T and sole (e.g., ball B, arch A, and heelH) of the wearer's foot F, the sheer hosiery 400 provides maximumcomfort to the wearer when donning fashion footwear. The toe portion 410inhibits toe curling (FIG. 1, arrow C) and provides ventilation andmoisture absorption to the wearer's toe area T, ball portion B and archportion A of the wearer's foot F. Further, the sole portion 420 providesventilation and absorption/wicking to additional foot surface area,thereby providing stability and inhibiting the previously describedsliding effects. As with the previously described sheer hosiery 200,300, one can appreciate that the comfort fabric toe and sole portions410, 420 are generally thicker or being of a higher denier relative tothe sheer fabric. However, it is essential that the comfort fabricportions 410, 420 not be so thick as to interfere with the fit of thefootwear, for example, causing the footwear to feel undersized or undulytight in the instep and/or toe area. It is therefore required in thepractice of this invention that the foot and leg portion 440, 460 of thehosiery 400 be in the sheer range as known in the art (e.g., made of ayarn from about ten to forty denier), whereas the comfort fabric has athickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.065 inches. Morepreferably, the comfort fabric has a thickness in the range of about0.02 inches to about 0.03 inches. In fact, test subjects wearingprototypes of this embodiment having various thicknesses for toe andsole portions 410, 420 found that prototypes having a comfort fabricportions 410, 420 with a thickness greater than 0.065 inches were toouncomfortable to wear with properly fitting closed-toe, high-heeledfashion footwear. In one example, the hosiery 400 includes a sheerfabric that is made of nylon yarn having a denier of ten and a comfortfabric toe portion 410 that is made of cotton yarn of a greater denierthan the nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.02 inches and asole portion 420 that is made of a cotton yarn of a greater denier thanthe nylon yarn and having a thickness of about 0.03 inches.

Turning now to FIG. 5 a fourth embodiment of sheer hosiery is described.As shown in FIG. 5, the sheer hosiery 500 is illustrated as a sheerstocking or a leg of sheer pantyhose. As shown, the sheer hosiery 500includes a foot portion 540 comprising comfort fabric and a leg portion560 that gives the appearance of a conventional sheer hosiery article.The foot portion 540 may be similar to a footsock, footlet, or “footie”and substantially covers the wearer's foot F (e.g., the toes T, sole S,instep I, heel H) and is particularly comfortable due to the increasedamount of comfort fabric in comparison to the foregoing sheer hosieryembodiments 200, 300, 400. However, the sheer hosiery 500 may not beappropriate for fashion footwear such as pump-type shoes where theincreased amount of comfort fabric would be visible (e.g., on the instepof the wearer). Further, the thickness of the comfort fabric footportion 540 is substantially similar to the thickness ofcommercially-available socks and is not intended to be limited as in theprevious embodiments 200, 300, 400. Therefore, due to the foregoing, thesheer hosiery 500 may generally interfere with the fit of fashionfootwear and, as such, the sheer hosiery 500 is worn with more casualtypes of footwear such as low shoes including oxfords, flats, gym shoes,sneakers or the like. For example, the sheer hosiery 500 may be worn bya cheerleader/pom-pom performer, dancer or the like to give their legsthe smooth look of sheer hose while greatly reducing foot discomfort andabsorbing perspiration while they perform. In another example, the sheerhosiery 500 may be worn by medical personnel (e.g., nurses andlaboratory technicians) who wear uniforms including stocking-typehosiery and low-heeled shoes. Such sheer hosiery 500 could also be usedwith any full-covered shoe or boot. One can appreciate that thisembodiment is adapted for use with a broader range of footwear (e.g.,casual shoes and boots), but provides the same benefits in terms ofcomfort etc. and the conventional hosiery appearance that are achievedwith the previous embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another embodiment of sheer hosiery in accordancewith the invention. As with the sheer hosiery 500 of FIG. 5, the sheerhosiery 600 as shown includes a comfort fabric portion that may besimilar to an ankle sock (anklet), athletic sock, crew sock, calf-highsock, mid-calf sock, knee-high sock, slouch sock or the like thatsubstantially covers the wearer's foot (e.g., the toes T, soles S,instep I, heel H), but also covers a portion of the wearer's leg. Asillustrated, the sheer hosiery 600 includes a comfort fabric footportion 640 that covers the entirety of the wearer's foot, a comfortfabric leg portion 660 that covers at least a lower portion of thewearer's leg and a sheer fabric leg portion 680 that extends upward fromthe comfort leg portion 660 to give the appearance of a convention sheerhosiery article. The comfort fabric leg portion 660 extends upward fromthe comfort fabric foot portion 640 past the wearer's ankle bone to apoint, for example, proximate the wearer's calf. Being somewhat similarto the foregoing sheer hosiery 500, sheer hosiery 600 may not beappropriate for fashion footwear such as pump-type shoes where theincreased amount of comfort fabric would be visible (e.g., on theinstep, ankle and leg of the wearer). Further, the thickness of thecomfort fabric foot portions 640, 660 is substantially similar to thethickness of commercially-available socks and is not intended to belimited as in the previous embodiments 200, 300, 400. Therefore, due tothe foregoing, the sheer hosiery 600 may generally interfere with thefit of fashion footwear and, as such, the sheer hosiery 600 is worn withmore casual types of footwear such as boots including ankle boots,cowboy boots and the like. Of course, one can appreciate that, in somecases, the comfort fabric leg portion 660 may extend upward, therebydecreasing the sheer fabric leg portion 680, to a point, for example,proximate the wearer's upper calf or knee, so that the sheer hosiery 600is adapted for wearing with high boots such as knee-high boots. Forexample, a female dancer wearing a skirt or dress outfit with cowboyboots may wear the sheer hosiery 600 to give the appearance ofconventional sheer hosiery above the boot while the hidden comfortfabric foot and leg portions 640, 660 provide foot and leg comfort.

Various example embodiments of this invention are described herein.Variations of those various example embodiments may become apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoingdescription. For example, in further embodiments of the sheer hosierythe comfort fabric may be positioned selectively in the foot area, suchas at the heel area, at the instep area, at the arch area, at the topsof the toes, at the front of the toes, at the bottom of the toes and inany combinations of the foregoing. The inventor expects skilled artisansto employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends forthe invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications andequivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended heretoas permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of theabove-described elements in all possible variations thereof isencompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein orotherwise clearly contradicted by context.

1. A hosiery article for wearing on a foot and a leg with fashionfootwear, the hosiery article comprising: a lower portion configured tocover the foot and having a comfort fabric part that is affixed to thelower portion and positioned to contact with at least one of a toeportion and a sole portion of the foot, wherein the lower portioncooperates with the fashion footwear to hide the comfort fabric partfrom view when the foot is inserted in the fashion footwear; and a legportion affixed to the lower portion, wherein the leg portion is made ofa sheer fabric and is configured to extend upwardly from the lowerportion to cover at least a portion of the leg.
 2. The hosiery articleof claim 1 wherein the comfort fabric part comprises a toelet thatsubstantially encloses the toe portion.
 3. The hosiery article of claim1 wherein the comfort fabric part comprises a panel that substantiallycovers only the sole portion.
 4. The hosiery article of claim 3 whereinthe panel further comprises a friction means affixed to at least one ofa top surface and a bottom surface of the panel for inhibiting at leastone of slipping of the foot in the lower portion and slipping of thelower portion in the fashion footwear.
 5. The hosiery article of claim 1wherein the comfort fabric part has a thickness in the range of about0.015 inches to 0.065 inches.
 6. The hosiery article of claim 1 whereinthe comfort fabric part has a thickness in the range of about 0.02inches to 0.03 inches.
 7. The hosiery article of claim 1 wherein thecomfort fabric part comprises: a toelet made of a first comfort fabricof a first thickness and having an upper portion that is configured tocover a top of the toe portion and a lower portion that is configured tocover a bottom of the toe portion; and a panel made of a second comfortfabric of a second thickness, the panel being configured tosubstantially cover the sole portion and having a forward edge proximateto the lower portion.
 8. The hosiery article of claim 7 wherein thefirst comfort fabric is different from the second comfort fabric.
 9. Thehosiery article of claim 7 wherein the first thickness is different fromthe second thickness.
 10. A hosiery article in accordance with claim 1further comprising: a fashion footwear; and a means for at least one ofbundling, packaging, displaying and selling the hosiery article with thefashion footwear.
 11. A combination hosiery article comprising: a sockthat covers at least one of the entirety of a wearer's foot and a lowerportion of a wearer's leg, the sock being made of a comfort fabric thatis configured to be hidden from view when the wearer's foot is insertedin footwear; and a generally tubular sheer stocking including a bottomportion that is affixed to the sock, the generally tubular sheerstocking extending upwardly from the sock to cover an upper portion ofthe wearer's leg that is visible above the footwear.
 12. The combinationhosiery article of claim 11 wherein the sock is selected from the groupconsisting of footlets, anklets, crew socks, athletic socks, calf-highsocks, mid-calf socks, knee-high socks and slouch socks.
 13. Thecombination hosiery article of claim 11 wherein the sock furthercomprises a friction means affixed to a bottom surface of the sock forinhibiting slipping of the foot in the footwear.
 14. The combinationhosiery article of claim 11 wherein the sock and the generally tubularsheer stocking are integrally knit so that the combination hosieryarticle has a one-piece construction.
 15. A foot and leg apparel systemcomprising: a fashion footwear that fits snugly on the foot and includesan upper having at least one aperture for revealing a portion of thefoot; and a hosiery article worn on the leg and on the foot under thefashion footwear, the hosiery article including a lower portionconfigured to enclose the foot and having an affixed comfort fabric partthat is positioned on the lower portion away from said at least oneaperture and positioned adjacent at least one of a toe portion and asole portion of the foot, and a sheer leg portion affixed to the lowerportion that extends upwardly from the lower portion to cover at least aportion of the leg, and wherein the fashion footwear cooperates with thehosiery article to hide the comfort fabric part from view while thefashion footwear is worn on the foot.
 16. The foot and leg apparelsystem of claim 15 wherein the at least one aperture is located awayfrom the toe portion of the footwear and the comfort fabric partcomprises a toelet that substantially encloses the toe portion.
 17. Thefoot and leg apparel system of claim 15 wherein the comfort fabric partcomprises a lengthwise panel that is affixed along a bottom portion ofthe lower portion, the lengthwise panel being configured tosubstantially cover only the sole portion.
 18. The foot and leg apparelsystem of claim 15 wherein the hosiery article further comprises afriction means affixed to a bottom surface of the lower portion forinhibiting slipping of the foot in the fashion footwear.
 19. The footand leg apparel system of claim 15 wherein the comfort fabric part has athickness in the range of about 0.015 inches to 0.065 inches.
 20. Thefoot and leg apparel system of claim 15 wherein the comfort fabric parthas a thickness in the range of about 0.02 inches to 0.03 inches. 21.The foot and leg apparel system of claim 15 wherein the comfort fabricpart comprises: a toelet made of a first comfort fabric of a firstthickness and having an upper portion that is configured to cover a topof the toe portion and a lower portion that is configured to cover abottom of the toe portion; and a panel made of a second comfort fabricof a second thickness, the panel being configured to substantially coverthe sole portion and having a forward edge proximate to the lowerportion.
 22. The hosiery article of claim 21 wherein the first thicknessis different from the second thickness.
 23. An improved method forwearing sheer hosiery on a foot with fashion footwear, the methodcomprising: providing a fashion footwear that fits snugly on the footand includes an upper having at least one aperture; providing a sheerhosiery article including a lower portion that has a comfort fabric partand is configured to enclose the foot and a sheer leg portion that isaffixed to the lower portion; wearing the sheer hosiery article so thecomfort fabric part is oriented proximate a desired portion of the footand distal from said at least one aperture and so that the sheer legportion is extended upward from the lower portion to cover at least aportion of the leg; and wearing the fashion footwear over the sheerhosiery article.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step ofproviding a sheer hosiery article further comprises the steps of:selecting a comfort fabric part having a thickness in the range of about0.015 inches to 0.065 inches; and affixing the comfort fabric part tothe lower portion.